Confused Soji Matthew wins

It wasn't just the race that was action-packed. The pre and post half marathon aspects were eventful too for India's Soji Matthew, who clocked 1:05:29 to clinch the top spot in the men's 21-km event yesterday.

Soji Matthew. Pic/Suresh KK

Matthew, a Ticket Checker (TC) at Mumbai's Lower Parel station for the last eight years, had a harrowing time getting to the starting line. "There was lot of rush near the sea link at Bandra.

I was stuck for quite sometime and managed to reach just before 10 minutes before the start of the race. I did not get proper time to warm-up and that is why my timing was affected," Matthew told MiD DAY.

After the race, Matthew was seen wandering around the finish line and in the CST subway after not getting an exit route. "There was nobody to show me the way after I finished the race.

I did not know where to go. I requested a few cops and race officials to let me enter one of the gates, but they denied me permission. I then tried to find my own way. I roamed for a while before finding my way out," he said.

He was all smiles after collecting his winner's cheque of USD 2000 (approximately Rs 1,04,000). But he won't forget his ordeal getting there.